A South African radio personality has appeared before a Johannesburg court after being implicated in an alleged plot to recruit citizens to fight for the Russian military.
Nonkululeko Patricia Mantula, a 39-year-old presenter of The Morning Bliss on SABC’s SAFM, is one of five individuals charged with violating national laws that forbid South Africans from joining foreign armed forces without formal approval. Prosecutors say the suspects have not yet entered pleas.
The arrests come weeks after the South African government disclosed that 17 citizens had “apparently” been enticed into joining mercenary operations linked to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Police, however, told the BBC that—at this stage—the two matters are not being treated as connected.
Mantula, who has remained silent since her arrest, has also not been publicly addressed by the SABC.
The case follows the sudden resignation of Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla—daughter of former president Jacob Zuma—from parliament last Friday. She has been accused of misleading the 17 South African men, including some of her relatives, into fighting for Russia. Zuma-Sambudla has firmly denied the allegations.
Authorities say investigations into the broader recruitment networks are ongoing as concerns grow over South Africans being illegally drawn into foreign conflicts.
South African Radio Host Among Five Accused in Alleged Russia Military Recruitment Scheme
A South African radio personality has appeared before a Johannesburg court after being implicated in an alleged plot to recruit citizens to fight for the Russian military.
Nonkululeko Patricia Mantula, a 39-year-old presenter of The Morning Bliss on SABC’s SAFM, is one of five individuals charged with violating national laws that forbid South Africans from joining foreign armed forces without formal approval. Prosecutors say the suspects have not yet entered pleas.
The arrests come weeks after the South African government disclosed that 17 citizens had “apparently” been enticed into joining mercenary operations linked to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Police, however, told the BBC that—at this stage—the two matters are not being treated as connected.
Mantula, who has remained silent since her arrest, has also not been publicly addressed by the SABC.
The case follows the sudden resignation of Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla—daughter of former president Jacob Zuma—from parliament last Friday. She has been accused of misleading the 17 South African men, including some of her relatives, into fighting for Russia. Zuma-Sambudla has firmly denied the allegations.
Authorities say investigations into the broader recruitment networks are ongoing as concerns grow over South Africans being illegally drawn into foreign conflicts.